Verdict on Samjhauta Express likely today
The verdict in the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast case is likely to be pronounced by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Panchkula on Monday. Samjhauta Express, that connects India and Pakistan was jolted by a blast on February 18, 2007, in which 68 people had lost their lives. The deceased mostly included Pakistani nationals.
The incident occurred at Diwani village near the industrial town of Panipat, 160 kilometres from here, in Haryana, when it was heading towards Attari, the last station on the Indian side.
Earlier in June 2011, the NIA had filed a chargesheet in the case, in which it was stated that the blast targeted Pakistani Muslims.
Swami Aseemanand, a member of the right-wing Hindu group Abhinav Bharat, Lokesh Sharma, Sunil Joshi, Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalasangra alias Ramji were named as accused among others in the blast case.
The five were charged with murder and criminal conspiracy under the Explosive Substances Act and Railways Act among others. Aseemanand is currently out on bail.
Two coaches of the train were impacted by the blast.
The case was initially being probed by a special investigation team after which a Pakistani national Ajmat Ali was arrested. He, however, was later given a clean chit in the case.
It was later decided to probe the involvement of right-wing groups in the blast.
